2008 Woodie Awards
Mock Con gets early start with Spring Kickoff
Dana Statton
Issue date: 3/21/07 Section: News
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The Spring Kick-off is not only a part of the 100th year anniversary of the Washington and Lee University Mock Convention, but is also the first to span over the entire weekend.
Although speaker's names will not be released until contracts are signed, this May there could be two to four big names. Friday, May 25, is still in the works, and consequently under-wraps, but Jackie Neilson, social co-chair, said, "There is a big speaker at Lee Chapel, and then an even bigger party on Cannon Green."
The band Gov't Mule, a jam band with a solid rock base, is a power trio offshoot of the Allman Brothers Band. According to Rolling Stone in 2005, Warren Haynes (the lead guitarist of the band) was "ranked No. 23 of all-time top guitarists, elevating him into the prestigious upper echelon of six-string heroes." There will be a beer garden for those of age, and the party is said to last all night.
Saturday there will be more speakers and panel discussions to heighten student's awareness of the upcoming Mock Con. The whole weekend is a campus-wide event encouraging students to get involved and excited for the coming year.
General Chairman, Richard Friedman, said, "We have also lined up a Presidential Issues panel comprised of some of the best minds in Washington, and we hope to host a debate between Young Republicans and Young Democrats [on Saturday]."
Hosted in January, Mock Convention is a quadrennial tradition in which student delegates attempt to predict the presidential nominee of the political party currently out the of the White House; next year, the Mock Convention will try to accurately select the Democratic primary candidate.
"As one of our university's most time honored traditions, I hope that this Mock Convention will set the standard for years to come," Friedman said. "In fact, this year's Spring Kickoff will be by far the largest and most extravagant Kickoff celebration since the program's inception."
Mock Con has been know as the nation's most accurate mock convention since its inception in 1908. There have been 18 correct predictions out of a total 23 attempts. Mock Con has even been applauded on the floor of the U.S. Senate as an "outstanding practical experiment in politics." The Washington Post, C-SPAN, and Time magazine also cover the event. Mock convention even has its own Wikipedia account, "because Wesley Little [who is on the speakers committee] is a little dork," Neilson said.
Although speaker's names will not be released until contracts are signed, this May there could be two to four big names. Friday, May 25, is still in the works, and consequently under-wraps, but Jackie Neilson, social co-chair, said, "There is a big speaker at Lee Chapel, and then an even bigger party on Cannon Green."
The band Gov't Mule, a jam band with a solid rock base, is a power trio offshoot of the Allman Brothers Band. According to Rolling Stone in 2005, Warren Haynes (the lead guitarist of the band) was "ranked No. 23 of all-time top guitarists, elevating him into the prestigious upper echelon of six-string heroes." There will be a beer garden for those of age, and the party is said to last all night.
Saturday there will be more speakers and panel discussions to heighten student's awareness of the upcoming Mock Con. The whole weekend is a campus-wide event encouraging students to get involved and excited for the coming year.
General Chairman, Richard Friedman, said, "We have also lined up a Presidential Issues panel comprised of some of the best minds in Washington, and we hope to host a debate between Young Republicans and Young Democrats [on Saturday]."
Hosted in January, Mock Convention is a quadrennial tradition in which student delegates attempt to predict the presidential nominee of the political party currently out the of the White House; next year, the Mock Convention will try to accurately select the Democratic primary candidate.
"As one of our university's most time honored traditions, I hope that this Mock Convention will set the standard for years to come," Friedman said. "In fact, this year's Spring Kickoff will be by far the largest and most extravagant Kickoff celebration since the program's inception."
Mock Con has been know as the nation's most accurate mock convention since its inception in 1908. There have been 18 correct predictions out of a total 23 attempts. Mock Con has even been applauded on the floor of the U.S. Senate as an "outstanding practical experiment in politics." The Washington Post, C-SPAN, and Time magazine also cover the event. Mock convention even has its own Wikipedia account, "because Wesley Little [who is on the speakers committee] is a little dork," Neilson said.
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